KATHMANDU, Jan 11: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has pointed out the need of collaboration among the three-tier governments for ‘Ujjyalo Kathmandu’ or Illuminated Kathmandu.
During a meeting with the Forum of Mayors, an organization of mayors of local level governments of Kathmandu Valley, at the Ministry on Wednesday, Minister Basnet mentioned that collective efforts of three-tier governments were necessary as ‘Ujjyalo Kathmandu’ is in the top priority of the federal government.
Sharing that the government has forwarded a programme ‘Ujjyalo Sahar’, he explained that activities are underway with the plan of its further expansion.
The Energy Minister underscored that collective efforts were necessary for a necessary decision with the Finance Minister to resolve problems seen regarding the tariff of street lights, adding it was necessary to collect the tariff of the street lights by determining the deadline and there should be support of all in this regard.
According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, local levels have to pay Rs 6 billion in tariff for the street lights.
Likewise, NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising shared that it was necessary to make a decision at a time when the Finance Ministry had already told for adjustment from the bodies concerned.
He mentioned that the Electricity Regulatory Commission should be urged to make a decision on the issue of street lights tariff as the NEA could not make a decision itself.
Deputy Executive Director of NEA, Manoj Silwal, requested the local levels to resolve the problems related to street lights in accordance with the rule, asking them to make efforts to manage the electricity wires.
Similarly, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Chiribabu Maharjan, laid emphasis on the need of materializing the imagination of ‘Ujjyalo Sahar’, and addressing the problems of tariff of street lights immediately.
He mentioned that the Mayor Forum would draw the attention of the Finance Ministry to this regard.
Mayors and Deputy-Mayors of local levels of Kathmandu Valley except Kathmandu metropolitan City were present in the discussion.
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